Very sweet but not altruism - altruism would imply the dog made a conscious choice to foster the kittens. It is in fact rather common for animals that have lost their off-spring (her puppies were adopted) to "adopt" other young animals, including those of other species (although sometimes they need a little trickery - horse breeders will often wrap an orphan foal in the hide of a mare's dead foal to get bonding - however, as soon as the orphan can suckle, this will trigger hormone release that leads to bonding so the hide can be removed soon; and not all mares need the trick, they will accept the foal). Dogs have in fact been used as foster mothers for zoo animals that could not be nursed by their biological mother. Here in Oz we have a german shepherd who fostered a tiger cub, for instance. Cross-species nurturing, in short, is not uncommon, and more due to the loss of own offspring and the need to nurse offspring, ie, having lots of milk left. To call it altruism is anthropomorphic. Actually, humans have been known to engage in cross-species nurturing (monkeys, where these are kept as pets; and puppies, in some cases). However, this too may not be altruism since mothers need to have enough milk for their own child first; and feeding monkeys or dogs when there is milk enough for all ensures there will be meat for the table...

But doesn't what you apply confirm the maternal instinct? Which makes the lesser animal more akin to humans?

If it swerves to avoid you it must have a mind that must be respected.Mothy

Is a conscious choice more admiral than an instinctual?

Since both can include morals and ethics.

The definition of morals and ethics implies the ability to choose a path of action rather than having that path chosen, thus instinctual actions could not be either moral nor ethical, but result only from conscious choice. This would be why the only examples of morals and ethics in nature are in what many consider unnatural conditions since they separate human action from natural action.

_________________With friends like Guido, you will not have enemies for long.

“Intellect is invisible to the man who has none” Arthur Schopenhauer

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."Albert Einstein

But doesn't what you apply confirm the maternal instinct? Which makes the lesser animal more akin to humans?

If it swerves to avoid you it must have a mind that must be respected.Mothy

Is a conscious choice more admiral than an instinctual?

Since both can include morals and ethics.

The definition of morals and ethics implies the ability to choose a path of action rather than having that path chosen, thus instinctual actions could not be either moral nor ethical, but result only from conscious choice. This would be why the only examples of morals and ethics in nature are in what many consider unnatural conditions since they separate human action from natural action.

Instinctual actions result from choice? Care to elaborate?

I had an uneasy feeling about the ethics and moral stuff as I feel we don't really know enough about instinct and moral choice to comment with true conviction.

But doesn't what you apply confirm the maternal instinct? Which makes the lesser animal more akin to humans?

If it swerves to avoid you it must have a mind that must be respected.Mothy

Is a conscious choice more admiral than an instinctual?

Since both can include morals and ethics.

The definition of morals and ethics implies the ability to choose a path of action rather than having that path chosen, thus instinctual actions could not be either moral nor ethical, but result only from conscious choice. This would be why the only examples of morals and ethics in nature are in what many consider unnatural conditions since they separate human action from natural action.

Instinctual actions result from choice? Care to elaborate?

No, instinctual actions do not allow a choice, thus cannot be either moral nor ethical in nature.

Quote:

I had an uneasy feeling about the ethics and moral stuff as I feel we don't really know enough about instinct and moral choice to comment with true conviction.

Instinct is pretty well documented so that aspect would be fairly clear. The moral or ethical aspect is relative to the society, which makes it a variable scale. The only clear aspect is the choice to follow the moral or ethical mores of the society.

_________________With friends like Guido, you will not have enemies for long.

“Intellect is invisible to the man who has none” Arthur Schopenhauer

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."Albert Einstein

Isn't there a possibilty that in some cases what we 'understand and accept' of instinct actually may include a certain amout of choice? I'm not including what you have learnt, conceived or perceived. In the video I believe what we are witnessing is a certain amount of choice. It cannot be proved categorically only assumed . I stress in some cases only. Cobie writes alot of sense but based on fixed ideas of whether rightly or wrongly may or may not be the case.

The sheep whose offspring had died and the skin of its young was attached to that of an orphaned lamb then raised it as its young does seem to be instinct.

You seem to evaluate your reality on what you learnt through academia. Never jumping out of the box. And also the truths based around those lame axioms and aphorisms youe seem to base your conceptions upon.

Responding to mothy's mental illness and scattered illogic is, to me, a waste of bandwidth and time. Even greencarz had a little more sense.

_________________"With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life.“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle“Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein